


Company Picnic, Just Like in The Office

by grungerofgotham



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eric Lives Mary doesnt- AU, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Good Dad Eric, Healthy Relationships, Himbo Eric, M/M, Picnics, Shenanigans, cos I said so, healthy family relationships, just pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24286669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grungerofgotham/pseuds/grungerofgotham
Summary: A slice of life (the life that Eric and Gerry deserved, that is)
Relationships: Elias Bouchard/Peter Lukas (referenced), Eric Delano & Gerard Keay, Eric Delano/OC, Gerard Keay/Michael Shelley
Comments: 21
Kudos: 103





	Company Picnic, Just Like in The Office

**Author's Note:**

> I dont know what this is I just wanted to do something fluffy and wholesome and puts some more Eric Lives AU out into the world (its what he deserves)  
> Enjoy :)

**Thursday**

Eric hurries down the street, late to lunch, _again_. How did he ever graduate college? He’s never been on time for anything in his entire life. He slows to a trot outside of the bar, trying to look nonchalant as he pulls the handle. The door doesn’t move. He looks down at it. It says push. His face heats up, hoping no one saw that.

He steps inside, unwinding his scarf from around his neck, and spots Gerry taking a seat in a booth not far from the door. He’s wearing his hair up, and his outfit involves a lot of black and chains. Eric doesn’t really understand why Gerry likes to dress like that, but if it makes him happy, he will support his son! He’s probably on the right track anyway, aesthetically speaking, if he’s going to become a famous rock star like he always wanted.

He pops a jaunty little wave as he makes his way to the booth. Gerry smiles back. “Did you just get here? We did schedule for one, right?” Eric asks, fitting himself into his seat.

“Yeah, we did, but I figured you’d be at least ten minutes late, so I planned accordingly,” Gerry says blandly.

“Oh. Sorry son, you know how I am, always losing track of time and-,” Eric starts, shuffling out of his coat.

“Dad, it’s fine, don’t worry. Oh, I’ve already ordered for us,” Gerry says as Eric starts to pick up his menu. “Are you sure you wanted to meet here? A bar in the middle of the day? I thought you were trying to stay sober?”

“I am,” Eric nods, “My sponsor said it might be good to expose myself to the non-drinking bar experience. Or something. Not sure about it, but I’ll give anything a try.”

“Fair enough,” Gerry says, “How’s your week been?”

A half hour passes quickly, Eric digging into his burger and chastising Gerry for talking with his mouth full. This is a weekly thing for them, meeting at some lunch place, whittling away an hour with idle chat and catch-up. Eric doesn’t always understand the things that Gerry is trying to tell him, especially when he gets into talk about his music. It’s all ‘experimental deathcore’ this and ‘need a bigger amp’ that. But Eric listens anyway, because Gerry might be an adult now, but he sure as hell isn’t going to stop being a dad just because his son moved out. No matter what Mary might’ve liked to tell him about how bad a father he was.

And besides, it’s the least he can do, because Gerry listens to him, even though he’s nearing half a century old and doesn’t have much of a social life. He’s proud to have a son that he loves, and who loves him in return.

“So, uh, I’m thinking of asking someone on a date,” Eric says, taking a sip of his coke.

Gerry blinks at him warily, “Dad, you don’t know anyone. Who could you possibly want to ask out? Gertrude?”

Eric shudders, “No! And hey! I know plenty of people.”

“Dad,” Gerry says slowly, “Who is it?”

“Charlie from work,” Eric admits, taking another ‘nonchalant’ sip.

“Dad!” Gerry groans, hiding his screwed-up face in his hands. “That’s rule number one! Don’t date your co-workers!” 

“I know! But you know, it’s been years since I’ve been in the dating pool, and I’m not getting any younger. You know how lonely I can get-,” Eric explains.

“Okay, Dad, that’s enough of that. Tell me about her,” Gerry says, swiping a chip through his sauce.

Eric sighs, a wistful smile tugging at his lips. “Gerry, she’s amazing. She’s about my age, just started working in the Archives, transferred from Research. She’s so funny, and _so_ smart, some of the things she says, it’s just. She’s amazing!”

Gerry’s eyebrows rise slowly through the gushing.

“And she’s got this beautiful red hair- I know, I was a little hesitant about that at first, too. ‘Eric, you’ve learnt your lesson about redheads, be careful,’ I told myself, but she’s so nice! And I don’t know if you want to hear this, but her curves are ju-.”

“You’re right I don’t want to hear it,” Gerry says, holding up a hand to stop him. “Christ, you have it bad, old man.”

“Hey,” Eric says with a smile, “You show your father some respect.”

Gerry chuckles, eyes crinkling, “Whatever. Is she single?”

“I’m not sure. She doesn’t wear a ring. I really hope she isn’t, god, I hadn’t thought about that…” Eric is suddenly worried. Tons of people take off their rings at work, there’s no way to tell…

“Has she ever mentioned anyone?” Gerry asks.

“Hm, uh, yeah, she mentions her daughter all the time. I think she’s in primary school,” surely, if she wanted to keep her home life separate, she wouldn’t have mentioned her kid? Yeah, she probably isn’t married. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking? “Sometimes she has to leave work early to pick her up.”

Gerry shrugs, thoughtful, “Well having a kid doesn’t mean much, I mean, you have a kid and you’re single.”

“Yeah… Thanks for reminding me,” Eric sighs.

“Well, whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck,” Gerry lifts his glass of beer, and Eric lifts his coke to tap against it.

“Well, that’s enough about me,” Eric says. “How are you? How’s your boyfriend?”

Gerry chokes loudly on the mouthful of beer he was taking, and it fizzles from his nose. Eric hands him some napkins and he begins to mop himself up. “Ah, not good, actually. We weren’t ever really… but it’s over now.” He shrugs, picking at a loose thread on his chair.

“Oh,” Eric says. “Sorry to hear that. Are you upset about it?”

Gerry shakes his head. “Nah, I mean, I’m more just kind of fed up, you know? It’s like everyone I meet is just the same asshole.”

Eric nods sympathetically, hoping Gerry isn’t getting himself into too much boy trouble. 

“I think I’m gonna stay away from dating for a while, focus on my music.”

“Hm,” Eric says, getting an idea, “You should come to the picnic the Institute is having this weekend. Get your mind of things. You know, reset.”

Gerry laughs. “I just broke up with a guy and your solution is to bring me along to an archival picnic?”

“No, it’s the whole Institute! Everyone’s going to bring their families, there’s going to be games and drinks. God, can you imagine an archives picnic, just me, Emma, Charlie, Gertrude, and Michael. That would be awkward,” Eric chuckles. He can’t think of anything more painful to endure.

Gerry nods absently, “Who’s Michael?”

“Young kid, I’ve mentioned him before, haven’t I? He started about a year ago.”

“Oh, the one who dotes on Gertrude like she isn’t a ruthless killing machine?” Gerry asks.

“The very same.”

Gerry seems to consider, sipping his beer, before nodding and slapping his hand down on the table. “Fuck it. I’ll go to your picnic. I do enjoy watching children get scared of me. And hey, maybe I could be a conversation starter for you and… and… whatever her name was.”

“Charlie,” Eric says, smiling.

“Sure.”

*

**Sunday**

The picnic turns out to be a lot more fun than Eric had hoped. The sun is out and shining bright, a miracle given the weather the last few days has delivered. There’s a light breeze, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. They’ve set up at a park, and those who decided to bring their children have released them onto the jungle gym.

Gerry is standing beside the drinks table, wearing a sleeveless black shirt with a band logo on the front, dark sunglasses, glass in hand. His face is a picture of boredom as he surveys the proceedings.

There’s an area set up for a volleyball tournament. Many of the younger employees of the institute, mostly those who work in research or one of the other upper levels are participating, along with some more enthusiastic family members. Gertrude and Emma are lounging on the sidelines, watching the game with minimal attention. Michael is standing by the net, nervously sipping a margherita and umpiring the game while his sister calls foul at every inconvenience, just to annoy him.

Eric had spotted Elias half-hidden behind a copse of trees, arguing heatedly with another older man with a white beard and a coat much too thick for this kind of weather. Eric had seen the man around the Archives before, Lukas something, his name is.

Eric is standing by the snack table, trying to build up the nerve to talk to Charlie where she sits watching the volleyball. She’s wearing a rose-pink sundress and a yellow flower in her hair. The sunshine seems to favour her specifically, as when she moves, her red curls shimmer copper bright. She’s radiant.

He watches as a young girl runs to her, tugging on her dress and pointing tearily to a scraped knee. That must be her daughter. Eric can’t help but note that there doesn’t seem to be a man in the equation.

“Oi, Dad,” Gerry says, suddenly beside him.

Eric jumps, about to say that he wasn’t staring, no sir, definitely not, when Gerry continues.

“Who’s that blond over there?” Eric follows the discreet point of his finger to where Michael is smearing a dollop of sunscreen on a young boy’s nose, smiling, and patting his cheek before watching him sprint back up to the slide. Someone yells for him to get back and referee the game, and he jogs back to where his sister had been holding his margherita.

“That’s Michael. Why?” Eric says, watching Gerry stare toward the volleyball game, eyes unreadable behind his sunglasses.

“Huh,” Gerry says, ignoring his question, “Who’s the woman with him? And the boy?”

“Sister and nephew,” Eric explains, smiling slightly. Taking a break from dating, his arse.

“Oh.” He doesn’t do a good job at hiding his relief.

“Hey, can you help me for a sec-,” Eric starts, but Gerry is already walking down to the game. He sighs. He turns to the side, and finds Charlie approaching him from the drinks table, the small girl attached to her hand.

“Hey, Eric! Enjoying the picnic?” She says, smiling.

“Uh, y-yeah, definitely. Better than I’d hoped,” he stammers.

“Tell me about it,” she chuckles, “I was expecting some unbearably awkward affair, not some company picnic, the office type deal.”

Eric laughs. She always says the funniest things. “Miracle they scheduled it on such a fine day, isn’t it?”

“Mm,” she hums, “Who was that young man you were talking to?”

“My son, Gerry,” he says with pride, “I must have mentioned him before?”

“Oh, yes, the infamous Gerry. This is my youngest, Sierra. Say hi, love,” she says gently to the girl.

“Hi!” The girl beams, showing off a broad gap where her two front teeth should be.

“Hello!” Eric returns, stooping down and offering the girl his hand. “I’m Eric. It’s nice to meet you.”

She giggles and takes one of his fingers and wiggles it, repeating the sentiment.

Charlie smiles. “Your son’s in a band, isn’t he?”

Eric nods, “Yeah, he is. I’m so proud of him. You know they’ve just released their first album, and they’re going to tour Europe. They aren’t that big, yet, but my boy’s always been so talented, he’ll make it in no time. They’ll be the One Direction of metal. Or thrash something. I don’t know, really, I’m just glad he’s following his dreams.”

Charlie beams at him and grips his elbow for a moment. “Oh, you’re so sweet. Every kid should have a dad as supportive as you.”

Eric’s brain short-circuits at the contact and nods dazedly, “That’s real kind of you. I try my best.”

“He looks like you, you know,” she smiles. “I mean, despite the… aesthetic.”

Eric smiles, and looks over to Gerry near the volleyball, only to find that he isn’t there anymore. Neither is Michael. He looks around, he can’t see either of them. “Well he is a handsome lad, so I’ll take the compliment,” he says cheekily.

She smiles wide, face colouring red, “You should.”

Eric looks down for a moment, hiding his own blush. “So, is it just you and your daughter here today?”

“Yeah, Clive is at work. He’s my ex,” she says, with an awkward shrug. “He’s good to Sierra… we just stopped seeing eye to eye about, well… everything.”

“Sorry to hear it, I know single parenting can be tough. Or even just co-parenting,” Eric says.

“You aren’t married?” Charlie asks, not looking him in the eye.

Eric shakes his head, “No. Gerry’s mother died when he was young. And I don’t mean to be crude, but we’re both better off without her. Sorry, that’s a bit of an overshare.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she says, laying her hand on his arm again. “You know if you’d ever like to overshare outside of work, I’m free most weekends.”

“O-oh, okay, y-yeah, I’ll keep that in mind…” Eric blushes. God, what a picnic.

*

**Monday**

Eric is at his desk, reading through a few statements, sure that he’d spied a connection between them somehow. It’s early in the morning, and Eric had been surprised to find Charlie already here, but Michael’s desk empty. Eric can hardly remember a day since Michael had started here that he hadn’t been in when Eric came in, and still at his desk when Eric left in the evening.

He doesn’t have to ponder where he is for long, because Michael is bursting through the door, satchel crammed under his arm, jacket falling out of his hands, hair escaping from its bun, and creamy yellow short-sleeved button-up open at the throat, revealing a dark purple bruise above his collarbone.

“I’m late! I’m so sorry! It won’t happen again, I swear, I was just, um… I was just feeding my cat and-,” Michael babbles, fumbling his stuff behind his desk. 

“Michael, you don’t technically start until 8, anyway. Sure, you’re a little later than usual, but you’re still really early. Don’t sweat it, mate,” Eric says calmly.

“I know, but I should keep a standard, it doesn’t do well to-.”

“Honey,” Charlie says gently, to get his attention. When he looks at her, she taps at her collarbone with her pen, and his eyes widen. 

He fingers at the dark blot of skin where she indicated before hastily buttoning his shirt up to his throat. His eyes flicker over to Eric, and he bites his lip, avoiding his gaze again. “Tea! I’ll make tea for everyone, can’t go wrong with that! Tea, Charlie? How do you take it?”

He hardly waits for her to say “black, one sugar,” before he’s out the door, heading to the break room.

Charlie turns to Eric with a delighted grin and comically widens her eyes. “Kids, right?”

Eric glances down the hall, making sure Michael is out of ear shot. “I may know something about that, if you aren’t above a little office gossip.”

She wheels her chair over to his desk, clapping her hands excitedly, “Oh, do tell.”

And Eric tells, revelling in the attention she gives him.

*

**Thursday**

Eric and Gerry are sitting in a diner this time. They’ve been to this one before, and they both love the fish and chips.

“Have you asked her out yet?” Gerry asks.

Eric sighs. “No, I still really want to, and she did kind of suggest that she’s open to it, it’s just… it’s been a while. I’m nervous.”

Gerry nods. “Yeah, I mean, when was Claudia? Two, three years ago? Don’t worry though, I’m sure she’s not going anywhere.”

Eric hums. “Yeah. I just have to work up the courage. Anyway… You and Michael?”

“Dad…” Gerry groans, face colouring before he hides it behind his hands. “God, fine, yes. Yeah, I like him. He’s… he’s really great.”

“Does he know that I know about you two?” Eric asks.

Gerry puts his hands down and takes a sip of his drink. “I don’t know. Has he been acting any different?”

“He did come in very flustered on Monday. I figured you had something to do with that.”

Gerry smiles, self-satisfied. “Yeah, that was my fault. He’s not my usual type, and I _know_ I was going to give dating a break but… I don’t know, he’s really sweet. And cute.” The blush is back.

“Is he?” Eric asks, “You know, I can’t tell. I didn’t even know he was gay.”

Gerry frowns and smiles incredulously. “What? How did you not know?”

Eric throws his hands up, “Well, how am I supposed to tell?”

“I mean sometimes you can’t, yeah, but… sometimes you just kinda gotta know, Dad. You know, when I came out to you, I was surprised that you were so surprised. I thought maybe it was because I’m your son, you just didn’t see me how you see an average person, but now… Maybe you’re just queer blind,” Gerry says thoughtfully.

“It’s not as if there are ample opportunities!” Eric exclaims, pinching some of Gerry’s chips. “There aren’t that many queer people!”

Gerry gives him a look like he just said ‘Hey, did you know pigs can fly?’ “Wow. You _must_ be blind. Dad, let me ask you something. How many people that work at the Institute… are gay? Or lesbian, or just anything?”

Eric thinks for a moment, scratching his chin, “Well. Michael, for one. I know that now. Oh, and there’s that guy in Research who wears a gay flag pin on his lapel sometimes, so… Two.”

Gerry blinks, mouth open. “What the fuck. Dad, you literally work for a lesbian. And she- Gertrude, if you didn’t figure that out- works for Elias, who has been married to the same man on and off for _decades_. Emma is pansexual, and there’s no telling whether your precious Charlie is straight, either. _Dad_. How are you so blind? I don’t even work there!”

“What?” Eric says, shocked, “How do you know all that?”

Gerry shakes his head, still smiling. “I thought you had to be smart to work in the Archives.”

“Oi!” Eric says, throwing a chip at his son. Gerry laughs.

*

**Friday**

Eric looks up when someone taps on his desk. It’s Gerry. “Hey, Dad, have you seen Michael?”

“Uh, not lately, check the library,” he says, gesturing down the hall and getting back to work.

“’Kay,” Gerry says, heading in that direction.

After a few moments of tapping into his ancient Institute-approved computer, Eric stretches. Time for a tea break. He gets up and wanders down to the break room, hoping someone’s filled up the sugar since yesterday, joints cracking as he goes. Wow, he really is getting old.

He opens the break room door and freezes. Gerry and Michael are tangled together, making out against the fridge. Michael makes a small noise, gripping fingers delving into Gerry’s hair, and the sound snaps Eric out of it, and he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

He stands in the hall for an indeterminate amount of time before Charlie makes an appearance, reaching for the handle of the door. “No, don’t go in!” Eric exclaims.

She chuckles, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Do you wanna make a statement?” She opens the door, gets a foot inside the room before stopping. Her eyes widen and her eyebrows rocket up to her hairline. She gently closes the door, face remaining the same static image of shock.

“My lunch is in that fridge,” she whispers.

Eric blinks back into focus. Charlie is missing her lunch. “There’s a place down the street that does great sandwiches. I’ll take you there, my treat, since it is my son blocking your food.”

She considers for a moment, glancing at the break room door and back at Eric before shrugging. “Eric, you’re such a gentleman. I’d love to.”

“Great!” He beams, offering her his arm, “It’s a date.”

She smiles and nods, looping her arm through his and walking close.

*

“Wait, wait,” Michael says breathlessly, pressed against the fridge, “Did you hear something?”

Gerry stops kissing Michael’s neck, “No?”

Michael pulls him up by gently tugging on his hair. His dark eyes are blown wide, and his lipstick is smudged. He’s beautiful. Michael spares only one anxious thought for how there’s probably going to be lipstick all over his face later and dives back in, kissing Gerry silly.

*

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Drop a kudos and comment if you like :0


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